Dr. Fred Watson
M.D. | F.A.C.C.

Preventive Cardiologist

  • Board-Certified in Cardiovascular Disease & Internal Medicine
  • Specializes in preventive cardiology, lipid management, and cardiovascular longevity.
New York City

"The most powerful cardiology isn't done in a cath lab — it's done years earlier, with a plan built around you. My goal is to help you understand your heart, act early, and feel confident about the decades ahead."

Dr. Fred Watson is a board-certified cardiologist with more than three decades of experience in general, preventive, and noninvasive cardiology. His practice centers on a simple belief: the best way to treat heart disease is to see it coming. He pairs state-of-the-art cardiovascular medicine — advanced lipid management, coronary calcium scoring, and cardiac imaging — with a deep focus on lifestyle, so you can extend not just your lifespan, but your healthspan.

Dr. Watson earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed his cardiology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he served as a Clinical Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Over a distinguished career in the San Francisco Bay Area, he served as Chairman of the Division of Cardiology at Mills-Peninsula Hospital and practiced preventive cardiology with the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, a member of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, and a Clinical Instructor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Licensed in both New York and California, he brings PrimaryMD members a rare combination: decades of clinical depth and a genuine partnership in protecting your heart for life.

Credentials &
Background

Education & Training

  • B.A. Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
  • M.D., University of Texas Medical Branch
  • Residency, Internal Medicine, Banner University Medical Center (Good Samaritan Hospital), Phoenix, AZ
  • Clinical Research Fellowship, Heart Failure & Transplant, University of Utah
  • Fellowship, Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
  • Clinical Fellow in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Board Certified: Cardiovascular Disease (ABIM), Internal Medicine (ABIM), National Board of Echocardiography
  • Medical Licenses: New York, California

Hospital Affiliations

  • Chairman, Division of Cardiology, Mills-Peninsula Hospital, Burlingame, CA (2020–2022)
  • Vice Chairman, Division of Cardiology, Mills-Peninsula Hospital (2018–2020)
  • Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group — general, noninvasive & preventive cardiology (2018–2023)
  • Clinical Instructor, Faculty of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine (2023–present)

Research & Publications

  • Peer-reviewed research on heart transplantation, immunosuppressive therapy, and treatment of CMV pneumonia in transplant recipients — published in Circulation, The Lancet, Journal of Heart Transplantation, and American Journal of Kidney Disease
  • Research on silent myocardial ischemia in diabetic patients (American Heart Journal)

Professional Memberships

  • Fellow, American College of Cardiology (since 1992)
  • American Society for Preventive Cardiology

Areas of Special Interest

  • Preventive cardiology & cardiovascular longevity
  • Advanced lipid management & blood pressure
  • Coronary calcium scoring & advanced cardiac imaging
  • Echocardiography
  • Heart-healthy lifestyle & healthspan optimization

Ready to Talk?

This isn’t a sales funnel. It’s a conversation.

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably already doing more for your health than 99% of people. But if you’re still relying on reactive care, you’re one decision away from the next level.

Let’s talk.

Schedule a discovery call with our team. No commitment. Just clarity. Because aging is inevitable. Decline isn’t.